CLEVELAND — Cleveland is building. A construction demand worth between $20-30 billion over the next decade is happening, according to the Greater Cleveland Partnership. And the goal is to ensure women and minorities are included.
That’s why the GCP is playing matchmaker, brings project owners and construction managers in the same room to work together. And it was also the recent focus of the Construction, Utilities, Buildings and Equity, or CUBE Symposium.
“That means everyone has an opportunity to make a good living," said the Senior VP Equity & Inclusion for the Greater Cleveland Partnership, Patrice Blakemore. "That means it's going to be a stronger city for others to come and say, 'I want to move to Cleveland. I want to build in Cleveland. I want my headquarters in Cleveland.'”
The GCP is in its second decade of equity and inclusion work within the space. And with the impact new construction can have on a community, it should better reflect those in it.
“Those dollars will flow back into local communities to reinvest and grow local communities. And that's very much at the core of why we believe this work is so important,” said Christopher Nance, vice president of construction for the Greater Cleveland Partnership.
Projects also include building new bus shelters, train stations and track replacement. The RTA has a list of improvements, locally, state and federally funded. With that money comes equities goals the RTA must meet.
“We want to make sure that we also provide opportunities for the next generation. So our generation is full of promise,” said India Birdsong-Terry, CEO of the Greater Cleveland RTA. “It's full of men and women, it's full of a lot of folks that come from different backgrounds. And we find that the more you have inclusivity in those areas, the more you have new ideas.”
Another large step in equity’s favor was the Community Benefits Ordnance. Passed last year by Cleveland City Council, it requires projects using public dollars to hire more minority-owned firms.
“They now have to agree on how they're going to use the people, the residents who live in the city. So it reflects upon them,” said Blakemore. “This that is a tool. It is only as successful as those of us around us make it.”
The symposium’s keynote speaker was U.S. Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary Don Graves. A native Clevelander, he sees the impact of under-representation.
“We need to invest in creating pathways and building a more diverse and equitable economy so that we can take advantage of people who are not participating in the way that they should,” remarked Graves.
Grave says including all voices and perspectives allows us to out innovate the rest of the world.
"Diversity is our country's greatest strength,” said Graves.
Ensuring Cleveland is building, for everyone.
Recently Ohio learned it will receive over $270 million in federal funding to expand and modernize public transportation systems. The Greater Cleveland Partnership says the partnerships are already in place to take advantage of significant federal investments like this.